Becoming a Beautiful Rose
by Maurice A. Nigma
Summary: After months of seperating, Lloyd head towards Ozette to see how his companion Presea is doing, little realizing that he's in for the surprise of his life. Especially when he sees a beautiful woman with lovely pink hair. (takes place after Dawn of a New World)


Hey Everyone, Maurice A. Nigma here and long time no see. Sorry about the delay in updates as of late but life's been one roller coaster ride for me. Mostly thanks to what happened in the summer, it's been giving my heart for writing a bit of a downpour. So this semester I hoped to regain that spark to write this story. It was meant to be written and finished months ago but I never got around to it.

But now with all that out of the way, on with the show. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Tales of Symphonia and the characters used are the property of NAMCO Bandai and the only thing I own is this story.

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**ToS Fanfic: Becoming a Beautiful Rose**

Lloyd Irving approached the village of Ozette, the light bathed all around the forest outskirts of the quiet hamlet as a single old-looking cottage came into his view. It had been around two years since the destruction of the village at the hands of Cruxis and the conflict with the Vanguard and from what he was seeing, conditions have been improving for the better. Though he saw that most of the residents walking around, the swordsman could feel that Ozette still has a long way to go to being fully recovered. Seeing as how conditions around the surrounding forest were left undefended, it was small wonder of how anyone would feel insecure in the village in its current state.

He looked around the area surrounding the cottage and saw how little has changed since the Journey of Regeneration save for repairs done to it. The roof top of the home was fixed and the foundation has been improved upon, but the small home's structure remained the same. Despite looking rather old, the cottage still looks rather homey and good for a loving family to live in.

Lloyd went towards the front door of the small house and gave a knock to it as he spoke up, "Hey Presea? Are you in there? It's me, Lloyd. I know that it's been a month since we saw one another given but that doesn't mean I forgot about you. Can I come in so we can catch up? Or do you want more space for yourself?"

Since before having been separated from her about a month ago, Lloyd did notice how distant that the pink haired little girl was around him lately. Since noticing her regaining more of her lost emotions and memories, he took note of how Presea seem distracted like something that had been on her mind. Lloyd could only guess that it had something to do with the little axeman staring and focusing on the red crystal that was still attached onto her neck.

_"I hope that Presea's alright,"_ Lloyd thought to himself as he waited for a response. _"I mean, she did seem a bit distant from me since we got back to Ozette from traveling together. I wonder what's been bugging her as of late."_

The red clad swordsman's thoughts were cut short as he heard the familiar and quiet voice of his female companion from behind the door in a timid stuttering tone, "L-Lloyd? Wh-Why are you here?! C-Can you p-please go away for a while, okay? I-I'm not fully prepared t-to treat a visitor!"

That got Lloyd surprised and a bit concerned given how emotional Presea's voice was sounding. Never had he heard the small axe wielder sound so nervous and scared when speaking to people. Whatever it was that caused her to be that way, he was determined to find out and help her through it. The young man knocked again but a bit harder and spoke up with concern evident in his voice, "Come on, Presea! Let me in! Why are you shutting me out like this? Is something wrong? Are you hurt?"

"N-No, Lloyd. I-It's nothing like that. Just th-that it's..." was what he heard from his companion with a bit of hesitation in her voice as she answered once more, "...It's...complicated. I-It's something that you wouldn't understand."

"HUH? Why would you think something like that, Presea? I mean, sure there are many things that I don't understand but..." was all he said before he was cut off by Presea's harsh and yet unexpected response from behind the door while no longer stuttering.

"That's right! You don't, Lloyd! How can you possibly understand what I've been through?! How can you...how can you...?" it was all that she said before he heard her brawling onto the door in great pain and agony.

At that moment, Lloyd became more worried about Presea's unusual behavior given how emotional and hurt she must sound when speaking. This really got the young man eager to just bust down the door and enter her home just to comfort her from whatever was causing her suffering. However he resisted that urge and leaned close to the door as he said in a soothing understanding tone, "Presea, please let me in. Look, I'm sorry for saying whatever I said that got you upset but I honestly don't know what's going on. Please, if you can just let me in, we can talk about it so we can try to sort it all out."

After another moment of listening to her whimpering sobs, he heard the young axeman's voice speak through the door with some bits of hesitation in her tone, "I-I don't know, Lloyd. Y-You wouldn't want t-to see me as I-I am r-right n-now. Just p-please go away."

That got the dual swordsman to ponder on Presea's words as he spoke, "Presea, do you really want me to go? If so, then I will do it but please I would really like to try to help you with whatever it is you're going through. If you really want for me to leave then I'll go but just please tell me."

Waiting for what seemed to be like a long time, he heard the sniffling from behind the door cease and watched as the door opened and saw a tall figure on the other side covered in shadow. After a few minutes of silence passed, an answer finally came as Presea's voice spoke quietly, "...O-Okay, Lloyd. But please don't think ill of me when you see me in my current condition."

"Think ill of you? Presea, you dork. Don't be so silly. Why would you think that I would...think...of...you...like...that...?" it was all that Lloyd could say right as the shadowy figure came into the light and he beheld such a sight.

Who he saw on the light was a young woman with long waist length pink hair as she looked to his direction with shining and innocent blue eyes. Her long bangs were hanging at the sides of her face while the rest of her hair was tied back behind her head with a single beautiful red ribbon that allowed her pink hair the freedom to flowing freely.

After a long moment of stunned silence, Lloyd heard the pretty young woman speak as she stuttered a bit while looking up at him with her pretty cute blue puppy dog eyes, "L-Lloyd? Wh-What's wrong? I-I look horrible don't I? I-I'm sorry that y-you have to see me l-like th-this. I-I look t-terrible."

That was enough to get the red clad young man out of his trance and look at the woman more closely. It only took a moment for Lloyd to realize that who he was looking at was none other than his small traveling companion Presea, all grown and matured. The same little girl who was emotionally distant during their journey to regenerate the world was the crying beauty before him. The swordsman was too stunned for words as he turned his attention toward her current attire, his face immediately turned red at what he saw.

Her clothes consisted of a white sleeveless tight tank top, which showed off what appears to be impressive cleavage that could rival Sheena's own bust. He also saw her wearing a purple high collar long coat that lacked their sleeves; the jacket was held to her shoulders by suspenders clipped into the grey loose pants that were tucked into her silver plated boots in a similar fashion as his own. She also wore silver plated gloves that seemed to transform into arm warmers that are much more bulky and thicker than the ones she wore before. What had not changed in her appearance most of the time was the red Exsphere which was hugged by the sturdy golden setting on her neck which to anyone else would seem like a fancy piece of jewelry.

The swordsman got back to reality and looks to the young woman who he saw was tearing up and getting more upset. He then spoke up to Presea while still surprised at her new appearance, "Wh-Whoa! Whoa! Hold on, Presea! Where did you get the idea that I find you horrible? I don't think you look horrible at all. You look rather...rather..."

Lloyd was still too stunned for words as he eyed at Presea's womanly figure more and blushed at the sight of her. Never had he before been thrown into a situation that requires him to try to calm down a vulnerable young woman let alone a very beautiful one. The young man's mind nearly drew a blank as he was still too focused on her new appearance.

"I-I'm rather wh-what, Lloyd? P-Please just tell me," the pink haired young woman said as she stared at him with her pretty blue eyes as she cried with confusion and worry. "I-I look h-horrible, do I? That's why you weren't answering me and now you think I'm...Waaaaaaaaaah!"

The crying from Presea caused Lloyd to snap out of his stupor to see just how truly innocent and helpless she was in her current state. The sight of the young pink haired ax woman crying made him want to reach out and hold her in order to make her feel better but he resisted the urge. Lloyd did not want to make Presea feel uncomfortable due to how awkward it would be between them.

But his brotherly instincts kicked back in and without even thinking Lloyd moved towards the young woman and pulled her in for a very gentle and tender embrace as he spoke in a hushed tone, "Shhhh. It's okay, Presea. And I don't think you look horrible. Shhhh. Settle down and then we'll talk about it okay?"

He felt the young woman continue to sob onto his shoulder while he stroked her curvy back in order to sooth her. Moments have passed and soon Presea calmed herself enough for her to be able to speak coherently. Soon the two of them are at the dining corner of her home and after taking a few moments to prepare some tea; Presea began to speak about her new transformation.

"W-Well, you and some of the others have known about how I was meant to be older than I look right, Lloyd? Well, recently, I've been going to see the researchers in Sybak for they've been working on a means of reversing the damage the Exsphere has done to my body's internal systems. The research has been going on for a few weeks and after some tests and theories they've finally found an answer. They had been performing an assortment of treatments on my body through this new process they created using a type of serum injected into me. After long weeks of the treatments as well as some testing and examination..." the pinked haired woman paused with a blush as she wraps herself with her arms to cover her upper body, "...well, you saw the results for yourself."

Lloyd could only stare in an understanding nod as he eyed the pink haired axeman's mature and lovely figure. He could only blush right as he spoke up with a curious tone, "Y-Yeah, I could see that, Presea. B-But tell me something. Why age yourself up to be a teenager? You could have become an adult if you wanted to."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them as he saw Presea turning her head away form him as she spoke, "W-Well, I have thought about becoming an adult before taking the treatments but I then thought about our travels together while gathering the Exspheres. I noticed for whenever we stop by any village during our breaks, I could hear the people whisper things about us as we walk pass by them. Some talked about your supposed misdeeds all throughout the world and some even accuse you of being a pedophile due to my...previously small physical condition."

"Pedophile? Uh, sorry, Presea, but I don't know exactly what that word means," Lloyd said as he scratched his head in confusion. "Is it a food that's good?"

He could only see the pink haired woman shake her head and sigh as she spoke, "No Lloyd. It is not a type of food or something that you could ingest. Honestly, I thought that you would have improved on your vocabulary during our travels." The twin swordsman could only look to the pinkette as she rubs her forehead a bit in frustration while looking back to him as she spoke again, "What I mean, Lloyd, is that when people look to us, they think that the two of us are...rather intimate with one another."

"Presea what do you mean...?" was all that Lloyd could say before his mind finally clicked together what the young beauty was trying to tell him and his expression turned to shock and disgust. "OH MARTEL! Are you serious, Presea?! Why would people think something like that?! That's got to be the dumbest thing that I've ever heard!"

"Of course, Lloyd, I think so too, but some people fail to think more outside their ways of thinking," he heard Presea said while at the same time noticing her having a bit of a hurt expression before she continued. "I-I just can't bear to have people say that about you, Lloyd. It's cruel and unfair after all you have been through and what you did to help this world. So to make it easier on you...I changed my physical appearance so that I would not be holding you back by attracting too much unwanted..."

Before Lloyd knew it, he was moving towards the female axeman and pulled her into a nice and warm hug cutting off at her last word. He heard Presea give a squeak of surprise as she did not expect such an action from him, but the twin swordsman kept a hold around her while rubbing her back. He could feel Presea settle in his arms just as she looked up to him with her eyes.

"L-Lloyd?" he heard the young woman say as she looked to his reddish brown eyes with her own sparkling blue ones.

"Listen to me, Presea. You're not a burden to me and never will be," Lloyd said as he strokes Presea's long hair and back to soothe her. "Look, remember a long while back when that man at Flanoir accused me of killing his older sister and I was upset over it? You were there to cheer me up when I needed it the most and for that I'm very grateful to you. But you don't have go on to change your appearance to..." he stopped while at the same time seeing her womanly body while blushing, "...to this. I mean, I don't care about what other people say. It's their own fault for jumping to conclusions. What matters is what we both think of ourselves. Now for me, I think of you is a good friend who, despite her own misgivings, was willing to do what it takes to help me through the rough times. But what about you, Presea? What do you really think about me?"

He waited for the young axeman to respond as she was silent and thought about her response. Moments later, Presea answered rather meekly as she spoke up, "W-Well, I know that you are one of the most amazing people th-that I've ever met, Lloyd. Though not intelligent or the brightest person, you have a kind and understanding heart. A heart that does not wish to harm another person but one that could not stand to see another suffer either. You're also a person who shoulders too much responsibility even though you are not directly responsible for the cause. And you do know what to say to help someone when they're feeling sad and lonely despite you sometimes being...as dense as a brick at times."

"H-HEY! I could be smart too! Just...have a bit of trouble staying awake during Professor Sage's lectures...and other things," Lloyd said with a blush before smiling boyishly as he hears Presea give a soft giggle as she continues.

"Heh heh heh. But those are the qualities that make you who you are, Lloyd. It's because of those qualities that enable you to help understand people as well as adapt and handle any situation. It's also because of those traits that enable you to endure any hardship that gets in your way. I'm very fortunate to have met you along with the others for it was all of you that helped to fill the empty void in my life. But it's mostly because of you, Lloyd that I'm able to feel emotions and once again go with the flow of time. For that I'm grateful."

"Heh heh heh. Well, I didn't think that I did that much," Lloyd said with a boyish blushing smile. "The others helped out too. I only helped you to start opening up more is all."

"Whatever the case, Lloyd, it was you that helped me to move on and I'm really so grateful for what you did," Presea said as she looked to her new adult body with a cute blush on her facial features. "I feel that I should repay you for your kindness towards me somehow and...changing my body was the least I could do to unburden you."

Lloyd could only smile at the young woman as he hugged her but could also hear her yawn as he looked to her and said, "You sound tired, Presea. Perhaps you should rest a while."

"Y-Yes, that would be wise in order for me to...function properly," the pink haired woman said with a yawn while at the same time nuzzling close to Lloyd in comfort. "But...if it's alright with you Lloyd...please stay with me...at least for tonight. I don't...want to be left alone."

He could only look to Presea a bit startled as she snuggled into his arms and yawned while nuzzling her face onto his chest. Lloyd could only chuckle as he lifted the pink haired woman into his arms and carried her onto her bed. Right as he placed her onto the soft mattress, Lloyd was about to move away when he felt Presea's arms latched onto him tighter as she whimpered like a little scared child. The young man could only sigh as he just surrendered to the smaller but also stronger woman as he lay next to and held her tenderly. Presea purred contently as she nuzzled her face onto his chest as she sighed and fell to sleep.

Lloyd watched at how peaceful the pink haired woman was as she slept onto him content like she was having a good dream. He just let himself get comfortable as he lay next to her and stroked her long pink hair allowing her to rest more at ease. After the emotional drama that she had been through a while ago worrying about her appearance near Lloyd, Presea deserved a reprieve from the stress she endured.

The Eternal Swordsman laid with his young companion, now a young woman, who slept in his arms without a care or worry in the world. Her smile, which to everyone in their group thought was beautiful, beamed across her facial features as she slept on, possibly having a wonderful dream. Lloyd could only smile at her child-like innocence that shone on her face as he held her in his embrace.

"Heh, Presea's so sweet when sleeping," Lloyd muttered as he too yawned a bit while snuggling her more into his arms. "Mmmmm. Best I'd better get some rest. It's been a long day for both of us. And she's so warm and comfortable and...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

Soon, the swordsman found himself drifting to sleep with Presea in his embrace as the two slept on the bed with content and relaxed expressions on their faces. Both found comfort with one another but for different reasons. For Lloyd it was because of how comfortable and warm the beautiful axe woman felt in his arms. But for Presea it was reassurance that by the time she wakes up, there would be someone that would be by her side through thick and thin no matter what.

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**FIN**

**A/N: And done! I sure hope that you all enjoyed this. Seriously this is my first time writing a pairing that most people would think would NOT work out. I just only did this to help with inspiring me to write for fun again. This is my first time writing a Lloyd and Presea fanfic and it DOES imply some romance. Now I know that some of you would wonder why I would do this pairing of all. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a Sheena/Lloyd fan and want to write. But just that I wanted to try my hand in a pairing that most would not think most likely to work. I added some elements to this work to help with making the pairing more likely. And also I figured it'd be a good challenge for me to do a different pairing that would seem unlikely given. You know get that fire going so I could update more often given. **

**Sorry for the delays anyways. I just had life just give me a roller coaster ride...during the summer. Anyways I hope that you all give me some reviews guys.**


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